Reducing Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Infections

Background: Hospital-acquired infections from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) now account for more than 60% of S. aureus infections in intensive care patients reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Media stories have raised the profile of this problem, and several states have moved toward legislative action regarding screening of hospital patients or mandatory reporting of infections. Guidelines from clinical expert organizations, including the CDC, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), recommend the use of basic prevention practices to avoid transmission in the hospital setting, yet concerns persist that compliance with these practices is neither consistent nor reliable. Intervention: The campaign's MRSA intervention recommends five key components of care. These are not intended to be an all-inclusive list but rather have been recommended by experts as the minimum necessary components: (1) hand hygiene, (2) decontamination of the environment and equipment, (3) active surveillance, (4) contact precautions for infected and colonized patients, and (5) device bundles (central line bundle and ventilator bundle). Conclusion: The IHI's 5 Million Lives Campaign considers all hospital-acquired infections as harm to patients, and reduction of MRSA is one of the areas of focus.